I first saw one of Hellie Blythe's cigar box scenes at Studios on the Park in May, 2011. On my February 11, 2016 visit, there was almost an entire gallery devoted to them. If you have never seen any of these clever mixed media works of art, you really need to get to Studios on the Park soon to see Hellie Blythe's cigar box vignettes of pistachio figures engaged in some challenging and daring activities. These bits of original cigar box and pistachio shell art are bound to start many conversations wherever you display them. It's not only the art that's clever, but the signage is also designed to make you laugh. An example is 'The Orthodontist," pictured here. Be sure and click any of these which are not full page width to enlarge them. Below is the sign that accompanied this.
Blythe's creations cover a multitude of subjects and some may even seem to have political or social implications. The one below,"The Magician," might be considered by some to be one of these.
Don't miss this exhibit. I have only shown you examples of Hellie Blythe's work. She has used other medical themes such as "The World's First Successful Brain Transplant," and some early science themes such as "The Alchemist." She shows you a daring family of acrobats in action, "The Flying Pistachicrows." And artists are not left out of the fun, since she also has created "The Sculptor's Reception." There are many more. Photos can't really do justice to these cigar box vignettes. Don't miss seeing them in person while you can.
On my February 5 visit to Studios on the Park I noticed that there seemed to be more encaustic work on display than I remembered from past visits. As you might remember from a previous post, Eve Chartrand had been working on her violin for the SoundScapes exhibitand planning to use encaustic painting to seal it. This is her finished work titled "The Earth Has Music for Those Who Listen." You can click to enlarge the photo to see the detail. I couldn't help the shadows. It's unfortunate that the art is so close to the color of the wall and that the light is insufficient to really show the work off. You will need to go see it.
Here is the bottom portion of the work in more detail.
There were a few more encaustic paintings in the SoundScapes exhibit, but they were also very light and hard to see in a photo. I saw more colorful encaustic works in the Paso Robles Art Association "Textures of Life" exhibit in the Showroom Gallery. Encaustic is a perfect medium for creating texture with the wax layers. Here are two colorful works in this exhibit. You really need to see these in person to fully appreciate them.
Have you ever done any encaustic painting? It looks a bit more complicated than painting with only oil or acrylic, since you need to use heated wax. If you'd like to try your hand at it, there are some highly reviewed products below to help you learn this art and provide you with the right supplies to get started. There isan even larger selection if you go direct to Amazon.
It is very easy to celebrate Inspire Your Heart with Art Day here in Paso Robles. Artists abound here on the Central Coast, and there are many places where you can see their work. One way to inspire your heart with art is to visit a local gallery like Heritage Gallery West or one of the exhibits at Studios on the Park. You are sure to find some art that will inspire you at either place.
I visited Studios on the Park recently, and the first thing to catch my eye was the window display for the currently showing "Migrations" exhibit. The windows here always have two works of art. One is the collection of art pieces put in the windows to be viewed by those passing by. The other is the reflection from the park across the street. On this visit it was nearing time for sunset. So you see the painting inside the gallery, and you see the reflection superimposed on it.
I've never come away from Studios on the Park without amazement at how creative the artists are. On this visit I talked to two artists preparing for the Soundscapes Exhibit which opens on February 4, 2016. They are working in two completely different media.
The other artist I talked to was Anne Laddon. She was also preparing work for the Soundscapes exhibit -- five paintings. We see her here at work on one of them in her studio. She is looking critically at something she wants to change in the color scheme in this painting and is pondering what color to substitute for the one she's not happy with.
She is working from this photograph as a model for her painting.
This visit made it obvious to me that before I see art that inspires me, an artist's heart first has to be inspired to create it. If the artist isn't inspired first, the artwork will probably not inspire those who see it.
I love going to Studios on the Park because I can see the creation process and learn what is in the mind of the artists as they create. I'm anxious to see the finished works I saw in the process of creation. I hope I'll be able to go to see the Soundscapes exhibit this weekend.
Some artists who share studios, for example Anne Laddon and Tamara Thornton, work with the same media. Though they have different styles and subjects, they use similar materials. If you enter the studio shared by Eve Chartrand and Anna Meyrick, however, their walls show art quite different in both method and style. Let's look at Eve Provost Chartrand first.
Eve collects objects that speak to her in a special way. As she thinks about them, ideas form as to how to use them to express art worthy of reflection. She often mixes media to express her ideas, or she may make a print, lightbox, or assemblage. You can see examples of all these types of work on her web site. To see these photos in more detail, just click to enlarge them.
Anna Meyrick's half of the studio is quite different than Eve's. As you can see, Anna's specialty is her mosaic art, though she also draws and paints. She has been involved in art education for over twenty years. She has used her artistic creativity to help those with special needs and at-risk young people.
Not all of the artists in the related articles below are still in residence at Studios on the Park, but these articles were written while they were there.
Lynn Kishiyama in Her Studio at Studios on the Park
When I was visiting at Studios on the Park yesterday, I was glad to see Lynn Kishiyama back in a studio again. She is staying six months before leaving on vacation for another six months. It would appear these vacations give her time to experiment with new media and ideas as she relaxes. In the past her work had a distinct Japanese flavor. But as you can see, it appears her latest projects have a more African influence. She was just finishing this piece as I walked in. For a closer look, just click on the photo.
When I asked Lynn to explain what she had made, which was as yet unnamed, she said that some tribal women in Africa like to adorn themselves with natural objects, even though the decorations might wilt by the end of the day. After all, there would be more to choose from the next day. She got her inspiration from this book, which she had prominently displayed in her studio.
This photo of Lynn's studio wall shows more of this work, and you can see the book on the stand beneath it. She is calling this new series of totems "Natural Fashions." Remember, you can enlarge the photo with a click. To see more of Lynn's work and what went into its creation, check out The Lynn Kashiyama Blog, You will see some close-ups of these "girls" and learn their names.
If you happen to be in Paso Robles on a weekend, stop in at Studios on the Park and meet Lynn. You might even be able to watch her work.
